Named after the last names of brothers Antonio and Sal LaMartina and their friend Craig Cordes, the product was invented out of frustration, as the twenty-something founders were tired of being prohibited from carrying glass containers to the beach or the pool. Since they were still young enough to remember sipping out of Capri Sun pouches, the trio began to investigate creating an adult version of that kiddie favorite.
Their resealable flexible packaging recently won the beverage industry's top award for ingenuity, and the hooch inside ain't bad either. Planning ahead for the inconsistent liquor laws that vary from state to state, the Cordina boys recognized that a liquor-based product would not be as successful in areas that don't allow liquor sales in groceries or convenience stores. But they were also smart enough to avoid the malt liquor concoctions that are flavored to taste like margaritas or wine coolers or any number of nasty faux cocktails.

Creating fresh takes on Southern cuisine is what Copper Kettle is known for (“Putting the South in Your Mouth,” its Web site proclaims). And they're about to open a location even further south — well, about 40 miles southwest in Columbia, Tenn.
The new place will be on the historic square in Columbia, serving lunch and dinner, and it will also offer extensive banquet facilities. Located at 117 W. Seventh St., it’s expected to open by the end of September.
Meanwhile, Copper Kettle has been extra busy lately with catering. For inquiries about catering, in Nashville or in the upcoming Columbia quarters, call 615-742-5545, ext. 2.
Well, you only have a few more months to indulge a Big Mac attack within gurney's range of the emergency room. As part of a wider initiative to expand healthy food options and nutritional awareness, Vanderbilt has picked another national chain, Au Bon Pain, to replace McDonald’s when the Golden Arches' lease is up in January.
You can get more details in my Food Biz column in the Nashville Post section of the print edition of The City Paper. The important thing to know, in Vanderbilt's view, is that the change is not intended as a criticism of McDonald's (and, we presume, especially not Ronald).
“This isn’t any sort of attempt to single out McDonald’s,” said Vanderbilt University Medical Center spokesman John Howser. “McDonald’s has been a great partner, lo these many years.”
That's why Parry Gripp's loopy little food ditties are such fun. Gripp's Wikipedia entry calls them fake jingles.
Our attention was first captured by the catchy, infectious "Do You Like Waffles?"— a real hit with the preschool set. Listen to it below, or get the full effect with the YouTube video of pre-breakfast, pajama-clad tots lip-synching.
Do You Like Waffles

Chef Rusty Johnson has come up with a creative menu that is both vegetarian and kosher, and a pretty good deal, as well, with four courses for $30 (tax and tip not included). The dinner is at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12.
The meal will start with house-made focaccia with fresh herb butter, followed by: chilled sweet corn soup with basil, mint and chili oil; cornmeal-battered okra and Vidalia onion fritter with heirloom tomato, green goddess dressing and sumac; stone-baked pizzetta with baby lima puree, Juliet tomato, garlic confit, parmesan and parsley; and for dessert, a dark chocolate-clementine pot de crème with vanilla bean whipped cream.

About an hour down I-65 South, between Columbia and Lawrenceburg, lies the charming town of Mt. Pleasant, Tenn. And in this little hamlet, there is a very interesting eatery called the Mt. Pleasant Grille. Located right on the town square at 100 S. Main St., the Mt. Pleasant Grille is a combination of an old-timey soda shop and fine-dining restaurant. With an eclectic international menu, they seek to provide for every dining need for the whole town.
Now they want to share the experience with some of us high-falutin' city folk. They have launched a Wine Club they call "The Grape Escape" to feature the many wines they offer and offer education and discounts to budding oenophiles.They are also hosting their first ever wine dinner for Grape Escape members on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m. The five-course dinner, which is $45 per person inclusive, features a French-themed menu with wine pairings.
The menu, created by Mt Pleasant Grille’s Executive Chef Carlos Garcia, is a journey through France via its traditional cuisine. The wine pairings complement the rich, classic cuisine. The menu is as follows:

DGD II combines cycling, pastries, books and a mid-October date (the 16th) for ideal cycling weather. The Lock 4 race includes two doughnut stops, where you can eat doughnuts and get two minutes knocked off your total for each doughnut. Proceeds go to Ride for Reading, which delivers books via bicycle to neighborhoods where age-appropriate books are scarce.
Some Bites and Scene favorite haunts are supporting the ride, including Krispy Kreme, Halcyon Bike Shop, Bicycle Lounge, Cumberland Transit, Eastside Cycles, Bike Pedlar and Woody's Bicycles. Oh, and there are prizes and swag, and Trek will be there with bikes to test-ride.
You just don't need anything else for a perfect event.
What's got you excited this week?

Since our visit, the chef has already expanded the menu to include burritos, which include the taco fillings, as well as rice and beans, on a flour tortilla. Other changes are on the way to the fledgling business, including the introduction of chef’s feature dishes. In the future, Feo says he hopes to have a taco truck downtown at lunch and late-night.
If you visit Peter Chinn’s, please report back on any new findings.

One of the more common (and fabulous) deals is for a restaurant to offer a three-course menu for $20.10 (easy to remember since that's the current year). Some restaurants do three courses for $30.10. But there are lots of other special offers, as well.
Smart cookies will make their reservations now. Details are at www.nashvilleoriginals.com. The Originals now have 41 members, ranging "from funky to fancy-pants," according to spokeswoman Laura Hill. Read the full release after the jump.